Dream project

Hollywood to unveil sculpture of MLK in ArtsPark

Hollywood is paying tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a new sculpture of the civil rights activist.

The bust will be unveiled during a dedication ceremony at 6 p.m. May 21 in the ArtsPark at Young Circle.

Angela Jackson, a former Hollywood resident, initially made the request.

"One of our residents came forth and thought that it would be a great idea to further diversity in the city if we were to pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," said Renee Richards, the city's grants manager. "The city believes in celebrating our diversity, and we believe in involving the community."

The city lined up an outside funding source to fund the project.

"These are tough economic times and there were no monies to erect a bust, so we were empowered by the commission to seek grants to fund the project," Richards said.

The city received a $50,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to fund the total cost of the project, which includes the bust and King's historic "I Have a Dream" speech inscribed on the base.

Steven Whyte, a California-based sculptor, was selected for the project after the city put out a nationwide search.

Born in England, the artist has been commissioned for several public works of art, including the Silverdale Mining Memorial, the National Salute to Bob Hope and our Military in San Diego, and a monument of King in Fontana, Calif.

"This project was close to my heart," Whyte said.

Whyte said the King sculpture has its challenges.

"There are a lot of ways of portraying King," he said. "It's a tough portrait to do, a very difficult likeness. I guess everybody has their own view of what King looks like based on which picture they feel most attached to. It's a portrait that when you get it right, it really does affect the emotions of those that feel strongly about King."

Richards is looking forward to the display and hopes the sculpture will provide inspiration to people.

"This project means so much to bring something of this magnitude to the city," she said. "Our goal is to create a diverse art form by which all people can come together and celebrate diversity and the appreciation of art and to bring recognition to an American pioneer."